Ravens free safety Ed Reed is in Louisiana with his family, dealing with the disappearance of his younger brother on Friday.

Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that there is no timetable for Reed's return as the team prepares for Saturday's AFC Divisional playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.

"We've left that up to Ed," Harbaugh said. "I know that Ed knows this team inside and out. We haven't talked to him yet today. So I think it's going to kind of depend on the circumstances down there, what he feels he needs to do with his family. But we'll give him a lot of leeway."

Reed, who was recently invited to his seventh Pro Bowl, made four tackles in the Ravens' 30-7 defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday's AFC wild-card round despite news that 29-year-old Brian Reed had jumped into the Mississippi River Friday morning to elude police.

Authorities near St. Rose, La.  Reed's hometown  had yet to find Brian Reed, who, according to his mother Karen Reed, has had a troubled history with drugs and alcohol.

Police said Reed was trying to escape officers who thought they had stopped a stolen car, but the family said Reed was driving one of his brother's cars. His mother said authorities had found her son's jacket and shoes.

Reed, who was awarded a game ball by the team and dedicated that same game ball to his family, said he played Sunday in memory of his brother and invigorated by the support of his family in Louisiana and his family in the Ravens.

"Just keeping God first and having faith and hope," Reed said after the win against the Chiefs. "Knowing that there's a bigger picture to life than what we've got going on here. This is a child's game that we play, and like I said, these guys helped keep me focused and keep my head in the right place. Talking to my mom and dad, knowing that they're being strong right now."

Ngata didn't get flagged, but he was fined $15,000 afterward. Despite the disciplinary action, Harbaugh said the defense won't alter the way it attacks quarterbacks, especially one as large as the 6-foot-5, 241-pound Roethlisberger.

"[W]e're going to try to get after him like we always do," Harbaugh said Monday. "It's going to be real important, and he knows that. That's a key to stopping him. You've got to get him down. You can't let him extend plays, and if he does extend plays, you've got to cover those guys, and that's easier said than done."
Clock control

The Ravens' display was even more impressive considering that the offense dominated the time of possession, holding onto the football for 41:44 against Kansas City.

The Ravens went 9-1 in the regular season when they owned the advantage in time of possession  a factor that could play a significant role against the Steelers' stingy defense.

"It all kind of goes together," Harbaugh said. "Time of possession is a reflection of moving the chains and getting first downs, number of plays. We were in no-huddle at times and sometimes we bled the clock. We used a lot of different tempos on offense. I thought we did a good job of managing that. Didn't have the false-start penalties. All those things that contribute to doing those things well probably show up in the number of plays that you have and in time of possession, and it's a very important factor of controlling the game."

Showing poise

Harbaugh said the team has submitted to the league office film of Chiefs inside linebacker Jovan Belcher's helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Joe Flacco and defensive end Tyson Jackson's headlock on tight end Todd Heap.

While displeased by the absence of penalties on those two plays, Harbaugh said the team's self-control and decision not to retaliate was another sign of the players' development.

"I thought our guys did a good job of keeping their poise," he said. "From that perspective, I was proud of the way they kept their poise and for the most part, walked back to the huddle. We encourage them to do it  you can only take so much sometimes  but I thought they did a good job of not getting penalized."

Ngata played through injury

With zero tackles against the Chiefs, Ngata registered his first zero-tackle contest since Dec. 13, 2009 against the Detroit Lions.

The thigh injury that limited the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle in practice last week bothered him at the outset of Sunday's game, but the thigh improved as the game wore on, Harbaugh said.

"I thought it did take him a while and early on, I think he wasn't quite as explosive maybe as he is other times," Harbaugh said. "But towards the end of the game, he was, and then we were able to get him out. But he came through it well. So it looks like he's in good shape."

End zone

Despite Willis McGahee's 25-yard touchdown run giving the Ravens a 30-7 lead with 4:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, Flacco finished off the final drive. Asked whether he considered inserting backup Marc Bulger, Harbaugh replied, "No, because there was nothing we were going to be able to do with him that would really help us. There wouldn't have been any point at that point." Terrence Cody finished with just two tackles Sunday, but the rookie nose tackle made a notable contribution, tackling running back Jamaal Charles from behind, stripping him of the football and ending a Kansas City drive in Ravens territory. "He was carrying the ball kind of loose because he made a cut up the field, and I just came out and grabbed his arms and knocked the ball out," Cody, the team's second-round pick in April, said. " It's big. When you make plays like that, you earn the guys' respect. I earned a lot of respect in the locker room and they trust you more." David Reed sat out his third consecutive game because of a torn ligament in his left wrist, but the Ravens rookie kick returner and wide receiver said he is feeling better  to the point where he may not require surgery as initially feared. "It's not as stiff," the fifth-round pick in April said after Sunday's win. "It's still painful, but there's less pain and when I do stuff with it, it's less painful."

ZoneBlitzer

01-10-2011 10:29 PM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

I got to admit I got a little choked up hearing the man talking about his brother in the post game scrum. He could barely get the words out and what was surprising to hear was that his brother was a Steeler fan. Reed said something like, "my brother loves football but he was for the Steelers" You could sense that the guys felt awkward in that moment and the expression on Harbaugh's face changed ever so slightly.

HAWK

01-10-2011 11:41 PM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

So what game was Harbaugh watching? There was plenty of MUTUAL pushing and shoving from both teams. One thing never fails, I swear to god we never see our own do anything wrong.

SteelKnight

01-11-2011 02:54 AM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoneBlitzer
(Post 891387)

I got to admit I got a little choked up hearing the man talking about his brother in the post game scrum. He could barely get the words out and what was surprising to hear was that his brother was a Steeler fan. Reed said something like, "my brother loves football but he was for the Steelers" You could sense that the guys felt awkward in that moment and the expression on Harbaugh's face changed ever so slightly.

Nah...I think he said his brother wanted Pittsburgh...as in his brother wanted him to beat Pittsburgh...so they could use it for their next motivation.

I will say if he was just a druggie with a problem, I feel more sorry for him than if he were a car thief. I wouldn't feel sorry for a car thief...even with a famous brother.

Nevermore

01-11-2011 06:57 PM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoneBlitzer
(Post 891387)

I got to admit I got a little choked up hearing the man talking about his brother in the post game scrum. He could barely get the words out and what was surprising to hear was that his brother was a Steeler fan. Reed said something like, "my brother loves football but he was for the Steelers" You could sense that the guys felt awkward in that moment and the expression on Harbaugh's face changed ever so slightly.

He said he loved football and "wanted to beat Pittsburgh"

toughsticks87

01-11-2011 08:48 PM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

I feel bad for Ed Reed. I don't feel bad for his brother.

pete74

01-12-2011 08:48 AM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

Ed Reed is one of the greatest saftey's to ever play the game. i still cant understand how he gets so many damn interceptions. even when he is hurt and misses more then a third of the season he still has more interceptions then anyone else. he is just an insane playmaker and my dream would to have both him and Troy on the Steelers. with that said i feel bad for him. his brother has obvious problems like so many others and its a shame he didnt get help before it came to this. hopefully they find him alive and well

LukesDad88

01-12-2011 10:56 AM

Re: Ravens safety Ed Reed travels to Louisiana to be with family after brother's disa

Why feel sorry for Ed Reed when Ed Reed doesn't feel bad for himself? He took one whopping day off to be with his family and help them and himself grieve? Then back to work?